Baltimore locals have tons of reasons to drink, whether it’s to celebrate the city’s annual kitschy Honfest or mourn yet another Orioles loss. But for a post-boozing food binge, Baltimore cuisine offers far more than crab cakes, Old Bay and pit beef (though those are damn good, too). From the bring-your-mom brunch spots to THE greasiest of proverbial spoons, these hangover-soothing spots won’t steer you wrong, hon.
Miss Shirley’s Cafe
750 E. Pratt St.
missshirleys.com
With its overwhelming breakfast menu (including 10 kinds of omelettes, more than a dozen griddle cakes and 25 dishes deemed “specialties”), Miss Shirley’s Cafe is Inner Harbor’s destination brunch spot. Despite the upscale vibe, expect scary-monstrous portions and breakfast faves served with a twist: Eggs Benedict options include Southern (pulled pork on cornbread), Smoked Salmon (served with sour cream on potato cakes), and, of course, Crab (served on fried green tomatoes). For those who prefer their breakfasts more sweet than savory, the towering coconut cream-stuffed French toast injects Mascarpone and coconut flakes into toast, then pairs it with candied bananas for the ultimate a.m. sugar rush.
Jimmy’s Restaurant
801 S. Broadway
410.327.3273
Baltimore’s best greasy spoon keeps things simple and eats cheap, with standard pancake, omelette and egg platters jazzed up by less-familiar breakfast sides of turkey, grits and applesauce. Father-and-son owners Nick and Jimmy Filipidis man the counter daily, bantering with customers and flashing hints of Bawlmor charm while griddling slices of the local “delicacy” Scrapple, a mishmash of pork trimmings, flour and spices—think homemade Spam that tastes vaguely dirty (in a good way). And if you’re looking to continue your drinking momentum from the night before, Jimmy’s pours beers on tap all day: A Guinness to complement your early-morning creamed chipped beef? Why not?
Golden West Cafe
1105 W. 36th St.
goldenwestcafe.com
Forget the standard huevos rancheros: The New Mexican-inspired Golden West Cafe serves up cuisine with more unexpected touches from south of the border. House-made chorizo finds its way into breakfast burritos, quesadillas and a fried parmesan-and-polenta cake; for a more decadent mouthful, wild mushrooms are sautéed in butter and Madeira wine before being folded into a cheese, pepper and tortilla omelette. Non-Spanish options include the Elvis and Lisa Marie Pancakes (buttermilk stacks with bacon crumbles, bananas, honey and peanut butter), but worry not, creatures of habit: If it’s what you’re craving, there’s killer huevos rancheros, too. •
LATE-NIGHT NOSH: Ironically knock back a Belgian Sunrise—Allagash White Ale splashed with Lindemans Framboise—in the midst of retro, space-aged decor at Hampden’s hipster diner Rocket to Venus (3360 Chestnut Ave., rockettovenus.com). Serving dinner until 11 p.m. (with the bar open until 2 a.m. every night except Sunday), the hotspot features an eclectic menu that joyfully clashes cultures: Deep-fried pickles share menu space with kimchee pierogies, mac ‘n’ cheese and a surprising dish of Thai steamed mussels with curry.